Box support



March 1, 1932.

s. N BUCHANAN 1,847,169

BOX SUPPORT Filed June 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l @51j @me/1f @man miMarch 1, 1932. s. N. BUCHANAN BOX SUPPORT Filed June 28. 1927 2Sheets-Sheet lnvwvtoz STEPHEN NBUCHANAN wall.

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN,0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS & BETTS CO., OF ELIZABETH,NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY BOX SUPPORT Application filed.Tune 28, 1927. Serial No. 202,070.

This invention relates to box supports for use in mounting electricoutlet boxes and the like within the wall of a building.

One of the main purposes of the invention is to provide means to anchora box on or 1n the wall or to the wall lath without employing screws,nails or other means of the usual and well known kind for securing the/box to the A further object is to produce a one piece box support whichis capable of being easily and quickly snapped or clipped onto the edgeof the wall or to a lath, whereupon the box is then mounted on thesupport, the entire oper ation being carried out without the use ofnails or screws which avoids splitting, breaking or damaging the wall orlath thereof.

A further object is to produce a box support which is also capable ofholding a switch block, plug receptacle, or other electric contactmaking device within the box without the use of screws. In other words,this latter object is in addition to the first one stated so that by theuse of my invention, a box, together with a switch block (or otherelectric contact making device, may be mounted in a wall without the useofscrews or nails.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several examples of constructioncapable of being produced in accordance with principles of thisinvention.

Sheet l of the drawings shows one form of the box support capable ofanchoring not only a box to a wall but also a switch lock, i. e. the boxsupport illustrated on Sheet 1 holds a switch block or other electriccontact making device in a box and anchors the box to a Wall, performingboth functions without the use of screws or nails.

Figure l shows a front open box view, i. e. a box assembly including aswitch block, or other like means, mounted in the box by the use of myimproved box support.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the box assembly as taken on line 2--2 ofFigure l showing the box in partial section.

Figure 3 shows an end view of the box assembly, the box being locatedbehind a lath and showing the jaw-like box support in position on thelath to grip and hold a 'box in the wall and a switch block in the box.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the.

box support separated from the other parts.

Sheet Q of the drawings shows a modiiierl form of the box supportslightly modilied in construction by which a box is secured to the wallbut wherein the box support is not provided with means for xing a switchblock, plug receptacle or the like in the box. In other words, thissecond form of the invention shows a simple support for boxes only, itbeing necessary to screw fasten the switch block in the box in the usualway.

Figure 5 shows an open front box assembly view, the box support securingthe box to the wall, but the switch block being screw fastened to thebox.

Figure 6 showsya side view of the box assembly as taken on the line 6-6of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an end view of the box and switch block assembly, the boxbeing held in the wall by the modied box support, while the switch blockis held in the box by screws.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the modified form of box supportremoved from other parts.

Referring further to the drawings for a more detailed description of theinvention and first describing Sheet l construction, there is shown lathL of a building, the reference L designating in general any particu lartype of wall usually met With in building construction, whether made oflath or solid boards. It is the usual practice for the workman-to cut ano ning or hole O in the wall L for the receptlon of the box B.Heretofore it has been the practice to nail or screw fasten the box B tothe wall L by nailing or screwing thru the box bracket BB carried ateach end of the box with the result that the lath is split thusrendering the work faulty, but my invention improves this method ofinstallation. The box bracket BB is usually adjustably attached to eachend of the box by a screw S which is loosened to permit the bracket toslide relatively under the screw head, by which the height or distanceof box B is adjusted to the desired position out from the Wall L, asshown in Figure 2, whereupon the screw S is then tightened up. rThe boxbracket BB may be reversed if need be so as to set the box B below 5 theWall surface or out therefrom as buildblock SB is ordinarily carried ona metal cross arm A reaching beyond each end of the box B and capable ofbeing screw fastened to the box which is the old method long employedbut which my invention eliminates if it is desired to use that improvedform of box support shown in Sheet 1 because it is a combinational boxand block or plug suport. y p Referrin now to Figure 4, an example ofthe box an switch block support Will be described and thereafter it willbe obvious how this one piece member may be used to anchor the box andswitch block assembly in the Wall opening O Without the use of a singlescrew or nail.

The support device comprises a one piece member fashioned from sheetmetal, say, cold rolled steel or other suitable material. Preferablysheet metal of light gauge may to advantage be used and I suggest coldrolled sheet material so that the aw portions of' the box support maytend to spring and clasp together and grip the opposite edges of thesurface of the Wall lath L.

Spring jaw portions 10 and 11 extend parallel and integral from a Web12. The meinber is generally U-shaped in cross section and springs orbends sufficiently to be slipped over the edge of a lath or edge of theWall.

15 llhe inherent resistance of the spring jaws 'lil-1l. clasps themember 12 onto the lath. il may prefer to serrate, punch up, or strikein teeth 13 on one engaging jaw portion 10 pointing toward the otherportion 11 so that the serrations 13 burr or bite into the soft surfaceof the lath L thus holding the inember 12 in place on the Wall edgeWhile the box and switch plug are being set into position.

The gripping or jaw portion 11 opposite the serrated jaw 10 is made withanchorage lips or ears to engage and hold the box and a switch block orplug receptacle SB. To this end the box engaging ears 15 are spacedapart towards the opposite ends ot the upper or outer jaw 11 While acentral ear 16 may also be formed thereon if desired. The ears 15 and 1Gare designed to bend over a box portion or box means, i. e. engage thebox bracket BB, the box B and its brackets BB bein simply considered asone and the saine mem er. Usually 'the box ears 15 are suficient for allpractical purposes and the ear 1G therebetween may in some cases bedispensed with if desired. Thus the member 12 may be clipped into thewall opening O over the lath edge at each end of the box B so that theears 15 passthrough the nail holes in the box means BB and bend over tohold the box in position in the opening O. The main anchorage ears 15are therefore made on the box Support 12 to it thru thenail holes in thebox bracket and take the place of nails or screws.

What is of further importance in this iirst form of the invention beingdescribed is means on the box support 12 to fix the switch block SBWithin the box and such means comprises a long lip 18 which to advantagemay be cut from the stock of the box support. The example of the boxsupport shown sinin ply provides the switch block lip 18 as punched fromthe member 12 beginning at the junction of a leg of the U and theportion of the U joining the legs and upturned in parallel relation tothe other ears 15 and lit The switch block lip 18 is thereforesuiiiciently long to reach outwardly from the surface of the Wall L andpass through the hole in the switch arm A and is bent over to iix theelectrical device SB in the box.

It is observed therefore that a box support 12 is used at each end ofthe box B, and that an ear 15 or a plurality of ears 15 and 16 arepassed through the box bracket BB and bent over to hold the box inplace. time the single lip 18 reaches through the hole in the switchplug arm A and bends over to hold the latter in the box. ln this methodof installation, no screws or nails are employed. and quick in itsapplication. not split and broken.

Reference will now be made to Sheet 2 for a description of the boxsupport modified The Wall is in certain particulars, the principle ingein j eral being the same as that heretofore dcscribed. Reference Williirst be made to YFigure 8 showing the modified box support which isdesigned to hold a box only,v upon or in the Wall, leaving the switchblock SB to be screw fastened in the box as in the old practice.

A box support 2O is made with spring jawlike portions adapted to springinto place and grip the edge of the lath L. this spring jaw 22 may becurved as at 223 so as to afford a Wide opening and to facilitatemounting the box support on the lath edge as shown in Figure G and inFigure 2 as ivi-ll. since the curved formation 2S is applicablizv toeither box support 12 or 2l). The longer spring jaw 22 may be providedwith serra-4 tions or teeth 2li to bite into the lath and initially holdthe support in position u'liil@n the box itself is being placed. 'l'heouter At the same The installation is simple I spring jaw 21 is madewith box anchorage ears 25 to engage and bend over a box portion such asthe box bracket BB.

If desired, a central box anchorage ear 26 may also be upturned on thespring jaw 21 to engage the outer edge of the box bracket BB and act asadditional holding means. The curved snap-in spring ear 26 has its basepressed outwardly at 27 to provide an indent snap-in space to receivethe outer thin edge of the box bracket BB as shown, and thus the box isheld in by two opposing spring ears 26 on the two box supports at eachend of the box so that the box may be temporarily held in positionwithout bending over the ears 25 thereby giving the mechanic freedom ofaction and an opportunity tov mount the box and remove it in the courseof making the installation, and finally the box is permanently anchoredby bending the ears 25, and 26 as well, over on the box bracket andlightly hammering or merely pressing them by hand down into finalposition.

The box supports illustrated in the several views of both sheets haveone spring jaw 10 and 22 made somewhat larger than the other. These jaws10 and 22 having a substantially large spread, engage a relatively largesurface on the back of the wall or lath -L thus establishing a firmanchorage on the wall. It is sutlicient for the outer spring jaw to bemade somewhat narrower if desired and thus occupy less space on theiront surface of the lath than it would thus occupy if made large insize similar to the rear jaw.

The box support 20 just described omits the switch block anchorage lip18 used in the first box support described. Thus it is necessary in thismodified form of the device to screw fasten the switch arm A onto thebox. For this purpose a box B of standard make is employed which carriesan integral ear E on each end thereof as shown. Not infrequently it maybe desirable to manufacture this type of box support shown in Figure 8and thus leave it to the mechanic on the job to screw fasten the switchblock SB onto the box ears E with screws in the usual manner.

Both forms of the box support described, others being possible inaccordance with the principles of this invention, are adapted for use inboth old and new house work. For old house work, it is only necessary tocut an opening in the plastered and lath wall and to trim away theplaster suiiiciently for the insertion of the spring jaws of either type12 or 20 over the edge of the lath. On the other hand, for new housework, the box and cable installations are usually made before theplaster is applied and the plaster is run up close to the box andcompletely imbeds the box supports rendering them permanently a part ofthe wall and house structure.

The use of this box support simplifies the yanchors the box in the wall.

work. Particularly, the support 12 greatly reduces the work because itanchors the switch block in the box at the same time it For certainclass of work, however, there is provided the box support 20 so that themechanic may still screw fasten the electric switch or plug in the boxif he so desires.

After the box and electrical switch or other plug device is installed, acover plate, not shown, is mounted to enclose the box and switch and isattached by screws onto the box in the usual way.

What is claimed is:

1. A box support comprising, a one piece sheet metal structure fashionedinto a pair of jaws adapted to embrace a wall, two ears integral withand spaced apart on the support to engage the spaced openings in a boxbracket, and a third upstanding ear adapted ff to be bent over the edgeofthe box bracket tween the two ears.

2. A box support comprising, wall gripping jaws fashioned from a singlesheet of material, ears carried by the support to engage a box bracket`and means carried with the support to engage an electric circuit makingand breaking device to hold the latter in the box.

3. A box support comprising, wall gripping jaws fashioned from a singlesheet of material, ears carried by the support to engage a box bracket,and a lip upstanding from one of the jaws to bend over and tix anelectric contact device in a box.

4. A box support as defined in claim 3 wherein the lip is relativelylonger than the ears to reach out from the wall and bend over anelectric Contact plug fra-me.

5. An electrical switch box comprising a switch box, an electricalswitch adapted to be secured within the box, a support to attach the boxto a wall, means to secure the box to the support, and a lip carried bythe support to engage the switch to secure the switch within the box.

6. An electrical switch box com rising a switch box, an electricalswitch a apted to be secured within the box, a support adjustablyattached to the box for securing the box to a wall, and a long lipcarried by the support to provide for adjustment of the supportrelatively to the box to engage the switch to secure the switch withinthe box.

7 An electrical switch box comprising a switch box, an electrical switchadaptedto be secured within the box, a bracket adjustably secured to thebox, a support secured to the bracket for attaching the box to a wall,and a long lip carried by the support to provide for adjustment of thebracket relatively to the box to engage the switch to secure 1 theswitch within the box.

8. An electrical switch box comprising a switch box, an electricalswitch adapted to be secured within the box, a support to attach the boxto a Wall, at least one ear car ried by the support to attach the boxthereto, and a lip carried by the support to engage the switch to securethe switch Within the box.

Sl. A box support comprising a sheet metal lts-haped structure adaptedto embrace a wall, a lip cut from a point beginning at the junction of aleg of the U and the portion m joining the legs and bent to projectupwardly from the support, and means to secure a box bracket to thesupport.

l0. A. box support Comprising a sheet metal Ushaped structure adapted toembrace M a, wall, a lip cut from a point beginning at the junction of aleg of the U and the portion joining the legs and bent to projectupwardly from the support, and at least one upstandingr ca r projectingfrom the support to secure n a box bracket thereto.

ll. An electrical box assembly comprising a box, an electrical deviceadapted to be secured within the box, a support to attach the box to aWall, means to secure the box to `the support, and a bendable lipcarried by the support engaging the electrical device to secure thelatter Within the box.

1Q. An electrical box assembly comprising a, box, an electrical deviceadapted to be sem cured within the box, a support to attach the box to awall, means to secure the box to the support, and means carried by thesupport engaging 1the electrical device to secure the latter within thebox.

; lli testimony whereof I afhx my signature..

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN.

